Conde and Coligny
     Furnished, in addition, with a force of two thousand prostitutes
     He came as a conqueror not as a mediator
     Hope deferred, suddenly changing to despair
     Meantime the second civil war in France had broken out
     Spendthrift of time, he was an economist of blood
     The greatest crime, however, was to be rich
     Time and myself are two

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION, VOLUME 15.

THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC

By John Lothrop Motley 1855 1568 [chapter II.]

Orange, Count Louis, Hoogstraaten, and others, cited before the Blood-Council—­Charges against them—­Letter of Orange in reply—­ Position and sentiments of the Prince—­Seizure of Count de Buren—­ Details of that transaction—­Petitions to the Council from Louvain and other places—­Sentence of death against the whole population of the Netherlands pronounced by the Spanish Inquisition and proclaimed by Philip—­Cruel inventions against heretics—­The Wild Beggars—­ Preliminary proceedings of the Council against Egmont and Horn—­ Interrogatories addressed to them in prison—­Articles of accusation against them—­Foreclosure of the cases—­Pleas to the jurisdiction—­ Efforts by the Countesses Egmont and Horn, by many Knights of the Fleece, and by the Emperor, in favor of the prisoners—­Answers of Alva and of Philip—­Obsequious behavior of Viglius—­Difficulties arising from the Golden Fleece statutes set aside—­Particulars of the charges against Count Horn and of his defence—­Articles of accusation against Egmont—­Sketch of his reply—­Reflections upon the two trials—­Attitude of Orange—­His published ’Justification’—­His secret combinations—­His commission to Count Louis—­Large sums of money subscribed by the Nassau family, by Netherland refugees, and others—­Great personal sacrifices made by the Prince—­Quadruple scheme for invading the Netherlands—­Defeat of the patriots under Cocqueville—­Defeat of Millers—­Invasion of Friesland by Count Louis—­Measures of Alva to oppose him—­Command of the royalists entreated to Aremberg and Meghem—­The Duke’s plan for the campaign—­ Skirmish at Dam—­Detention of Meghem—­Count Louis at Heiliger—­Lee—­ Nature of the ground—­Advance of Aremberg—­Disposition of the patriot forces—­Impatience of the Spanish troops to engage—­Battle of Heiliger-Lee—­Defeat and death of Aremberg—­Death of Adolphus Nassau—­Effects of the battle—­Anger and severe measures of Alva—­ Eighteen nobles executed at Brussels—­Sentence of death pronounced upon Egmont and Horn—­The Bishop of Ypres sent to Egmont—­Fruitless intercession by the prelate and the Countess—­Egmont’s last night in prison—­The “grande place” at Brussels—­Details concerning the execution of Egmont and Horn—­Observation upon the characters of the two nobles—­Destitute condition of Egmont’s family.